While many people know that trees can add to the beauty of a city, fewer are aware of all that urban trees do besides look nice. Urban and community forestry plays a huge role in improving the local environment and creating social and economic benefits. Urban forestry also enhances local infrastructure, design, and development. According to an American Planning Association study called Planning the Urban Forest: Ecology, Economy and Community Development (PDF), adding trees and plants to urban centers helps counteract the urban heat island effect by adding sources of fresh air and shade. Trees also are natural filters that effectively remove toxins like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide from the air we breathe. This sort of natural cleaning can make a big difference in removing pollutants. According to the report, large metro areas can save anywhere from $2.6 million (like in Denver, Colo.) to $47 million (like in Atlanta, Ga.) on average.

In Ann Arbor, Mich. 1,200 new trees will be planted  on city streets. Many communities’ view this process of expanding the urban forest as a community-driven neighborhood project. The Grove is an online community in Washington, D.C. where local residents can share ideas on the best ways to protect and expand the urban forest right on their street. In Philadelphia, Pa. local leaders have been working with a software company to develop a system for residents to virtually collaborate with the city to map out where they would like new trees to be planted. This software has also since been made available to the public.

Another piece of interesting software for urban foresters, CITYgreen, simplifies a complex analysis of your local “ecosystem services” by calculating the dollar value of the social benefits that trees and other green space creates near you. The ecosystem services that urban forests provide include storm water runoff removal, air-pollutant removal, and carbon storage and sequestration. The software can also create alternate scenarios to help maximize the efficiency of your jurisdiction’s urban forests. Not to mention, trees make cities look good too.

You can learn more about Urban Forests on the Knowledge Network Forestry topic page and access documents like the ones below:

• Seeing Green with Trees: The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Urban Forests: This report includes commentary from a session about how local governments use trees as a tool for meeting regulatory requirements.
• Urban Forestry Survey: This article highlights what measures Kenosha, Wis. took to see how they could improve their program.
• Urban Forestry Fact Sheet 5: Preparing for Budget Cut: You can read the best ways to handle urban forestry efforts in the face of budget cuts.